The Department of Health has insisted on approving all texts, tweets and emails sent out by the NHS concerning Brexit.

A leaked email from the director of communications at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) revealed any ‘external communication’ must be cleared to ensure the public gets ‘consistent and clear information’.

This comes after the NHS Blood and Transplant Authority tweeted earlier this month about blood donor sessions being moved from Dover for six months to avoid traffic disruption during Brexit.

Department of Health must approve all messages sent out by the NHS about Brexit (stock)

In an email leaked to the HSJ, Rachel Carr said of the tweet – which has since been removed: ‘This was not cleared either through the EU exit comms team or through the secretary of state.

‘At a time of some uncertainty, it is important the public gets consistent and clear information.

‘We have been very clear with your EU exit leads that every piece of external communication must be cleared through us.’

Ms Carr stressed every piece of communication – from emails to suppliers to phone calls to members of the public – must be flagged and cleared.

And some even have to get the go-ahead from ministers and the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU).

OFFICIALS SCRAMBLING FOR 50 ‘CRITICAL’ DRUGS IN CASE OF A NO-DEAL BREXIT

The Dutch government is desperately trying to get access to life-saving medicines from the UK in case of a no-deal Brexit.

Lives could be put at risk in the Netherlands if drug supplies across the Channel are interrupted, hospitals there have warned.

The country’s health minister, Bruno Bruins, said the government had identified 50 vital medicines which have no suitable alternatives on the Dutch market.

But he refused to reveal the names of the drugs out of fear other countries would hoard them.

Although Ms Carr acknowledged waiting for approval can be frustrating, she stressed her team is working as fast as it can to get things cleared.

She added sharing as much information as possible when making requests would speed up the process.

The procedure involves all arm-length bodies – a common term for public departments or agencies – sending information to communications officers at the DHSC.

Arm-length bodies include the Care Quality Commission, NHS England, NHS Improvement, Public Health England, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Staff will then check this over with the department’s EU Exit policy team, before it gets cleared via the head of EU exit communications and ministerial private office.

Communications that require clearance by ministers must be sent before midday.

And anything that needs approval by the DExEU should allow two days.

A DHSC spokesperson said: ‘We are in charge of ensuring the health and care system is prepared as we exit the EU including making sure our partners are communicating accurate and up to date information.

‘Government Departments routinely clear external messaging of their ALBs and this is part of our well-established assurance process.’